Politics and policy
Childbirth deaths rise to more than 8,000 a year
Childbirth deaths have been attributed to poor access to hospitals. File
Posted Sunday, February 17 2013 at 16:42
More than 8,000 women in Kenya die from pregnancy-related complications every year, the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society chairman Boaz Otieno-Nyunya has said.
Dr Nyunya attributed the deaths to poor access to hospitals as a result of poor infrastructure, long distances to health facilities and overcrowding in government facilities manned by poorly paid, demotivated and overworked healthcare providers.
“Women do not seek health care because of the cost of services. There is also gross mal-distribution of health workers with majority being located in urban centres,” said Dr Nyunya.
He said out of the 5,926 registered doctors, only 2,000 work in public health facilities. He was speaking at the Kenya Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society’s 37th annual scientific conference in Eldoret town.
The event was also attended by Commission for Implementation of the Constitution chairman Charles Nyachae who told Kenyans to put presidential candidates to task on how they will finance the health sector.
RSS